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Sunday, May 27, 2012

Remember the Fallen

The smell of hot dogs and hamburgers fills the air while the
kids play tag in the yard.The
television is alive with the sounds of the race and a few bets are flying as to
who will cross the finish line.Out at
the lake, some college buddies are camping out for the long weekend. With a little fishing mingled in, jet skiing
and boogie boarding pack their hours with fun and laughter.The holiday is a time for one and all to enjoy
a few hours of relief from the stress of life and some fellowship with friends
and family.

Meanwhile, across the country, flags wave, many at half-mast.A wreath shrouds a gravestone memorializing a
loved one’s sacrifice for his fellow citizen. VFW cannons sound at dawn to rouse slumbering
residents to acknowledge the day.A lone
bugler stands at attention before rows of marble square stones and the piercing
notes of the melancholic call echo through the air.Family and friends gather to honor the
fallen.

My uncle, JR Post (USS Hornet, Vietnam)

Memorial Day is a day to remember.It is a day to tell someone that their child’s,
father’s, or spouse’s service and life is appreciated.It was not lost in vain.It is a moment to say, “I would not have my
way of life without them.”It is how we
remember the fallen.

As you celebrate this day, stop a moment and ask yourself, “How
am I going to honor the fallen today?”It may be as simple as flying Old Glory or placing a rose on a soldier’s
tombstone.You may be given an
opportunity to help someone or to wrap a lonely person in a hug.

If you get a chance, I hope you act on all of the
above!Memorial Day is a special holiday
and one that should be dear to all Americans.The freedoms we hold are not free but are paid in blood.That blood flows through a river of tears
today. Remember the fallen.

My prayer for all on this day is that:

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face
shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon
you, and give you peace.”Numbers 6:24-26